The past that makes us

4th edition

Sieging and Summoning

21

JUN/08

Dire circumstances make the most foulest of people work together

The party was dazed and confused as boulders fell from the sky. Guardsmen got torn asunder and crushed. Children and townsfolk ran away into the flames, only their screams confirming their fates. The party recovered and hid in the rubble, getting their bearing. Sneaking about the party went to the ruined gate to the town and saw several figures in black hoods running about, razing the town. The town barracks were lit on fire and the town was most certainly lost. Gritting their teeth and facing hard reality the team rallyed and ambushed the raiders.

Jarl "scouted" ahead and saw a huge warband, numbering in the 1000's. THe rest of the party was still fighting while Jarl did a "tactical withdrawal". While rushing down an alleyway, with several raiders following him, screaming dark hymns to their god Nareesh. As the raiders caught up to Jarl the man in the purple cape , accompanied with Zalerech, helped out. Zalerech slashed at the nearest Raider while their previous employer shot off his bow. Now bolstered by new found allies the party quickly dispatched the raiders, just in time as more boulders came raining down.

The purple caped man quickly explained that he was a spy from Kestrel, sent out by Lord Gregory the third (Jarl's father) to watch out for Jarl and protect him if need be. He brought the party to a safe haven and was immediately interrogated. He explained that he was out here looking after a side project and unfortunately the side project had decided to screw him. The Raiders were the Cult of Nareesh, a cult that worshipped a dark god. Munroe wanted to wage gurillia warfare, while others wanted to simply leave. Earl stated that even if they did win here, another raiding party would come up. They would have to cut the head off of the snake to stop the raiders, but first they needed to deal with another problem. Up north the cultists had created a summoning circle and was using the blood of the innocent to call forth demons. The party decided that they needed to deal with that. As Earl gave the rest of his supplies to Jarl, and told Zalerech to prtoect the noble. He then commented that the party was a shaky one, and might not be able to endure the trials ahead of it.

Taking watch the party members rested and set out to escape the town under the cover of darkness. At the gate out of town they saw a grisly sight, a huge hook demon patrolling the area. It appeared that the cultists were succesful in calling demon allies, the summoning circle needed to be destoryed quickly. Munroe and Earl rushed to create a distraction. Peril accompanied the two men as earl nearly fell off a house, and the hook demon throwing a house at them.

The party manged to get out of the town however and headed towards the summoning circle. The cave was not guarded and was almost too inviting. Even though the party was ready for anything they fell victim to several traps. Zalerech himself nearly fell to a illusion trap, whilst earl got posioned. Earl decided to cover the rear as the party descended towards a torched lit room. The cutlists were gathered in the center of the room, torch light revealing the insignia of Nareesh on their chests. Cutting themselves and gathering blood into 5 drains in the center of the room they kept on chanting, seemingly unaware of the party. The party took aim with their ranged weapons from far away and fell 2 cultists as Adrik and Jarl rushed forward. As they moved forward the trap was sprung! The cave collapsed on the party and forced them down into the room. The cultists attacked, screaming blood for their god. Pushing, kicking and shoving Zalerech onto the drains they spilt his blood and fueled their dark ceremony.

The hereoes immediately recognized their folly. To complete the summoning circle the cultists needed their blood. Attempting to defend themselves they tried to fall back, but were pushed onto the drains and the cultists laughed as there blood spilled, seeping into the ground. The party was weakened, fighting for breath, but Adrik called upon his divine powers and fueled them on, renewing the party to full strength. Fortunately the party managed to avoid fighting on the last drain, and stopped the ritual. As the last cultist died by Jarl's blade "You may have stopped us from summoning are lord, but we still have enough blood!". With his final breath he completed the ritual and several demon spawn lept from their dimension into ours. Their dark energy synergized and the demons grew more powerful as they gathered together. So mighty was there power that Adrik the cleric fell. Zalerech came to his aid, and with their devine magic combined together spurred the party forward. The demons continued to pummel, but could not penetrate the defenses of a party working together.

As the last demon gurgled and fell the party looted the room. Adrik found a journal, inlaid with a crest that looked oddly familiar. Zalerech found what he was looking for, a small map pointing north, a clue to the whereabouts of his missing church. Grabbing Earl they headed out of the cave and into the nearby forest to recover.